But now, newly uncovered evidence suggests that Willingham, who maintained his innocence until his death, was in fact an innocent man.

Willingham’s original conviction relied on two major pieces of evidence: an analysis of the fire by arson investigators, and the testimony of a jailhouse informant.

In the years since Willingham was executed, the arson investigation that was a key pillar of his case has been discredited.

Questions have been raised over the analysis done by the arson investigators, and the science that was used in the case. It looks now like it was just a tragic house fire.

And as for the jailhouse informant that allegedly heard Willingham confess to the crime, new evidence suggests that informant was offered a deal by the prosecution in return for his testimony. The judge had earlier denied cutting a deal, but now the deal's been found, in the judges own handwriting.

So, it’s looking increasingly more likely that Rick Perry executed an innocent man. And not just an innocent man - a father who discovered his house on fire and was unable to save his three daughters, grieving and distraught, and then thrown in jail and accused of intentionally burning his own house down to kill his kids. Which he probably didn't do. He was just a grieving father. Who's now been killed by Rick Perry.

That's pretty grisly, but, even worse, there's more and more proof that the death penalty doesn’t even work to keep people from killing other people.

Proponents of the death penalty argue that, while it may not be perfect, it still acts as a strong murder deterrent.

Penalver was arrested in 1994 for murdering three people. There was no physical evidence linking him to the murders, and only other evidence police had was a poor-quality video that they claimed showed Penalver.

Penalver was ultimately released in 2012, after he was acquitted of all charges; it turns out the police were wrong and he was innocent.

But the state of Florida nearly killed him, and would have if newly discovered evidence hadn’t led to a new trial.

But we shouldn’t need facts, statistics, and wrongful conviction stories to prove that the death penalty is wrong.

As a society, when we kill people, we become killers ourselves. We coarsen our society. We become accustomed to murder, albeit murder-by-state.

But now, newly uncovered evidence suggests that Willingham, who maintained his innocence until his death, was in fact an innocent man.

Willingham’s original conviction relied on two major pieces of evidence: an analysis of the fire by arson investigators, and the testimony of a jailhouse informant.

In the years since Willingham was executed, the arson investigation that was a key pillar of his case has been discredited.

Questions have been raised over the analysis done by the arson investigators, and the science that was used in the case. It looks now like it was just a tragic house fire.

And as for the jailhouse informant that allegedly heard Willingham confess to the crime, new evidence suggests that informant was offered a deal by the prosecution in return for his testimony. The judge had earlier denied cutting a deal, but now the deal's been found, in the judges own handwriting.

So, it’s looking increasingly more likely that Rick Perry executed an innocent man. And not just an innocent man - a father who discovered his house on fire and was unable to save his three daughters, grieving and distraught, and then thrown in jail and accused of intentionally burning his own house down to kill his kids. Which he probably didn't do. He was just a grieving father. Who's now been killed by Rick Perry.

That's pretty grisly, but, even worse, there's more and more proof that the death penalty doesn’t even work to keep people from killing other people.

Proponents of the death penalty argue that, while it may not be perfect, it still acts as a strong murder deterrent.

Penalver was arrested in 1994 for murdering three people. There was no physical evidence linking him to the murders, and only other evidence police had was a poor-quality video that they claimed showed Penalver.

Penalver was ultimately released in 2012, after he was acquitted of all charges; it turns out the police were wrong and he was innocent.

But the state of Florida nearly killed him, and would have if newly discovered evidence hadn’t led to a new trial.

But we shouldn’t need facts, statistics, and wrongful conviction stories to prove that the death penalty is wrong.

As a society, when we kill people, we become killers ourselves. We coarsen our society. We become accustomed to murder, albeit murder-by-state.